Why you got so few Christmas cards this year

When wishing friends and loved ones a merry Christmas, it’s no longer necessary to murder a tree first.

A decade ago Americans mailed off two billion Christmas cards, according to Hallmark. But thanks to Facebook, FaceTime, Snapchat, and other digital modes of spreading holiday cheer, the number of paper cards delivered has dropped 30%.

Though 1.4 billion cards is still a pretty sizable print circulation, Hallmark says customers are becoming more selective about who is and isn’t worthy of the old-school cards.

“We find that people tend to buy those for close family members and for people they want to express appreciation to, like teachers and care givers,” said Kristi Ernsting, a Hallmark spokeswoman.

Younger families tend to choose cards which they can personalize with family photos. In fact, Hallmark offers a mobile phone app that allows users to print cards with photos from their smartphones.

Monica Fitzgerald, who lives in Washington, D.C., said she uses customized Christmas cards.

“You can also personalize it with notes that you either preprint on it, or actually write on the back,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald also said the number of cards she has sent out has gone down from 100 to about 40, she usually does not send them to friends she isn't already connected to through social media.

John Bonham, a resident of Cortland, N.Y., said the number of Christmas cards he has sends and receives has declined over the years.

“We used to get at the house about maybe 10 to 15 a Christmas season,” Bonham said in an email. He blames the cards themselves, which are now “way too overpriced.”

Bonham has said he reserves traditional paper cards for a select few relatives and friends because he typically sees or calls most of the people he would send cards to on a regular basis.

“In fact, even when I did send cards, the people I sent the majority to would be at my house on Christmas anyway,” Bonham said. “The Internet and social media has pretty much eliminated the need for them.”

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